To start becoming disciples


January 4


John 1:35-42 

For St. John the Evangelist, there are only two forces, and they are manifested either in the fruitfulness or destruction of daily life - the one which is born from the ultimate Goodness, God himself, and the one that destroys what God is creating, the devil.  Consequently, this has a bearing on our acceptance or rejection of being children of God.

The Gospel describes the genesis of becoming disciples.  The first is the one pointing to the Son of God, "There he is!" The second is the question, "Where are you staying?" The third is the response, "Come, follow me."  Each of these has a bearing on our roles as disciples.

The first is responding to the one pointing to Jesus like John the Baptist; yet, we say no because of our preoccupation with the affairs of this world.

The second is the intense desire or longing for the Master, in knowing and loving him.  Our preoccupation in this world reflect a loss of interest in getting to know the Divine Master.  We definitely are making the wrong choices in life.

The third is the invitation of the Lord, "Come, follow me." This demands everyday following the Lord, not just a one shot deal at the end of our lives.  Be forewarned about the many times we thought of living a life based only on what we want and not what God wants.

In the end, may we reach our destination in heaven!


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